"Easy Rider" at 40 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Carrie Snodgrass and Dan Haggerty

Dan Haggerty (November 19,1941) is most known for the film "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" (1974) and the subsequent TV series, "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" (1977-1978). He resurrected the 'Grizzly Adams' character in "The Capture of Grizzly Adams" (1982) and "Legend of the Wild" (1981).

Carrie Snodgrass (October 27, 1946 to April 1, 2004) received an Academy Award nomination for "Diary of a Mad Housewife"(1970). She also starred in 1985's "Pale Rider".

Answer: Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda (January 27, 1964), Peter's daughter, made her film debut in the commune scene. She also appeared in "Monkeybone" (2001), "Lake Placid" (1999), "Finding Graceland" (1998), "Jackie Brown" (1997), "City Hall" (1996), "Doc Hollywood" (1991) and "The Godfather: Part III" (1990).

Justin Fonda (July 9, 1966) another child of Peter Fonda, was in the same scene as his older sister.

Answer: Wyatt

The character gained his nickname from the American flag shown on his motorcycle and the back of his jacket. It was Fonda's idea to sew the flag on the jacket. He got the idea from from the one that John Wayne wore in "Flying Tigers" (1942). Fonda is not called Wyatt until late in the movie. Peter Fonda was born February 23, 1940.

Answer: Best First Work

"Easy Rider" was selected for competition for the 'Golden Palm', which is synonymous with the best picture award. The winner was "If..." (1968), directed by Lindsay Anderson and starring Malcom McDowell.

Best Actor was Jean-Louis Trintignant in "Z" (1969).

Hopper won for Best First Work. The award is correctly named 'Prix de la première oeuvre'. It is not awarded annually, only when a submitted film is deserving.

Answer: The Loners

Dennis Hopper said that he and Peter Fonda were inspired by the Italian film "Il sorpasso" (1962), about two men making a trip through Italy in a car. The English title of that movie was "The Easy Life", this is one of the reasons why Hopper and Fonda entitled their movie "Easy Rider". "Il sorpasso" used pop songs as part of the soundtrack, which inspired the same idea in "Easy Rider".

Answer: Phil Spector

Spector appeared as a drug dealer in the opening minutes of "Easy Rider". In the credits, the role is referred to as 'The Connection'.

Harvey Phillip Spector (December 26, 1939) was an American record producer and songwriter in the early 1960s. He was convicted and sentenced, May, 2009, to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003.

Spector was involved in the careers of The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, John Lennon, Ike and Tina Turner, George Harrison, The Ramones, Leonard Cohen and Ben E. King in addition to others.

Answer: Freedom

While sitting around the campfire right after Billy (Hopper) and 'Captain America' (Fonda) first meet George Hanson (Nicholson), their discussion turns to the 'ways of the world'. Billy thinks that the 'establishment' people find the Hippies threatening. George explains that it's not them personally, but their lifestyle...it represents change which the 'establishment' is afraid of. Later in the scene the conversation continues on to discuss the presence of alien life on earth.

Answer: Donald Sutherland

Bruce Dern was a motorcycle riding friend of Fonda's but had other commitments at the time of filming "Easy Rider".

Rip Torn opted out after Dennis Hopper allegedly pulled a knife on him during a pre-production meeting.

Starrett has had a fairly active movie career, he may be best know for playing 'Gabby Johnson' in "Blazing Saddles" (1974).

Sutherland would have been interesting in the role, but apparently was not considered.

Answer: Find the Cost of Freedom

Stills wrote "Find the Cost of Freedom" at Hopper's request. He wanted to use it in the final scene, as the camera pans up into the sky. It was not used. The song was eventually released as the B-side to Crosby Stills Nash and Young's single "Ohio".

Answer: St. Louis #1

The New Orleans cemetery is a Catholic cemetery. The film crew didn't have permission to shoot there and Catholic audience members were shocked that the church had allowed it. Since then, no other films have been allowed to shoot there, unless it's a documentary and permission has been granted. "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" (1994) and other movies since then have all used the Lafayette Cemetery, which is Protestant.

In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked "Easy Rider" as the #84 Greatest Movie of All Time.